


Torrid Blue

by BBirdy



Series: Torrential Blue [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alpha Sokka (Avatar), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Blue Spirit Zuko (Avatar), Emotional Roller Coaster, Fluff and Angst, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Hurt Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Masks, Omega Zuko (Avatar), POV Sokka (Avatar), Protective Sokka (Avatar), Set During Water, Top Sokka (Avatar), hidden identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:07:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27132919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BBirdy/pseuds/BBirdy
Summary: "You're going to be okay," Sokka promised, fierce and protective. "I'll stay as long as you need." Not a promise he knew he could keep, but one he had to.He held out his arms.Thoughtlessly the Blue Spirit fell into his hold, curled as tight as they could. The skin underneath the thin black fabric was damp, sweating, and boiling, and needing.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Torrential Blue [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028164
Comments: 57
Kudos: 620





	Torrid Blue

Sokka knew it was stupid to go into town. He knew it. But they'd landed inches away from a town with proper food and people. He felt like he hadn't seen anyone who wasn't crazy or a bender, or a crazy bender in weeks. 

"We can go tomorrow," Katara yawned, her sleeping bag already set out along Appa's steadily snoring stomach. "Besides, no one will even be awake. It's nearly morning."

Even Aang's snore seemed to agree with his sister.

"I'm just going to go scope things out," Sokka held up his hands innocently. "We've got crazy people after us. There's no harm in taking a quick peek."

Katara only managed to roll her eyes before she crawled into her warm bag. "Whatever you say. Just be back soon."

He hadn't even managed a response before he had run out of earshot.

Walking along the chilly path to the edge of the water town Sokka took in a deep breath of salty air. It felt amazing, or it could have if not for the heat coiling underneath his navel. He'd know it was coming, known it for days. He'd gotten good at delaying ruts as long as possible. It was one of the few pieces of advice his father had given him before he'd left. 

"You take big deep breaths and you get yourself cold. It'll keep your head clear."

Of course, it had been battle advice, but Sokka had used the same tactics for delaying natural instinct. 

Pressed a hand to his lips he could feel Suki's soft touch all over again. It didn't help the welling ache. 

So, he'd considered the possibilities. 

"There's no shame in taking a, a partner for the night," he tried to convince himself. It wasn't something he'd thought allowed. Ruts and heats were mate stuff. That was what his grandmother had told him the moment she'd known. And so that's what Sokka had always assumed. 

But Suki's half-smile, shaking her head and explaining why two of her warriors had vanished after lunch had shifted everything. 

They'd been sitting outside the dojo, Sokka doing his best not to scratch at the makeup and uniform he'd been given. He'd pointed out the pair, whining about them skipping out. 

"Oh them?" Suki waved it away. "Atka's heat began. Kallik went to keep her company."

Leaned over and around her, Sokka watched the retreating figures. It was difficult to tell under the mask but Atka hardly looked older than fourteen. "They're already mated?" he asked, trying to sound genuinely interested. 

Suki's laugh was sharp, bright. He liked her laugh. "What? No. They're far too young. Kallik is good at helping through heats. She's a very respected Alpha, has been for a few years now, even though she's younger than me."

The look on Sokka's face must have been a sight, all his thoughts whiring like a stirred pot. 

"What is it?"

"You can spend heats with people you're not mated to?"

Her eyebrow lifted. "Who taught you that? No one has kept to that rule for nearly a hundred years, it's old, stuffy rules. You should be able to be comfortable during mating periods, all precautions in place of course."

She spoke about everything so offhandedly. 

The thoughts had whirled and when he'd felt the first beginnings of rut starting all he'd wanted to do was ask to go back and see Suki, to have her hold him, just be at his side. That wasn't possible. They had to keep going. 

But the idea had found root in his head and stuck fast. He could be with someone during his rut. Someone, anyone. He had no idea how to go about it or if it would work but he had to try. And judging by the pull at his gut and the strength leaving his knees he had to try quick, or find somewhere quiet to spend the night. 

Stood on the very edge of the small town Sokka hesitated, standing in the tree line. 

Katara had been wrong.

"As usual," Sokka muttered to himself. 

The town, while in it's most twilit hours, wasn't abandoned. 

Fishermen, gruff older looking sorts mostly, limped to boats. In the marina he could see a large ship with red sails. Not firnation, but grand all the same. 

A pang hit Sokka all at once and he had to bite his lip to keep from groaning aloud. He must be bleeding pheromones at this point. Any omega within a mile must be perking up their nose. 

He'd known a few mothers back in the south pole who would always claim illness while he had a rut, going to the edge of the village to wash clothes or any other reason they could think to escape. He couldn't blame them. His first few were awful and he had no idea how to keep himself quiet. 

"Hi," a soft whisper broke into his thoughts. A slim girl in green stood a little ways away. She had short brown hair and a warm smile. Or he thought the smile was warm, he couldn't quite see the whole of her face. She wore a mask, a wooden creation painted with leaves, tied and hiding her eyes. Beads strung along the bottom hid most of her nose. 

Sokka couldn't speak past the crack in his throat and only managed a weak wave. 

"Are you here to have a nice time?"

The question was so pointed. 

It had been easy, too easy. 

Concern had him shifting from foot to foot and when Sokka could finally speak he had to clear a lump from his throat. "I, I was wondering if there was someone I could um, I could spend the night with?"

He sounded like he was asking for-

Cheeks flushed red he had to backtrack. "I don't mean like that, I only, my rut's started and I don't want to be alone." 

Now he didn't sound like a creep but he did sound like a kid. Great. 

A warmth prickling up the back of his neck Sokka slammed his mouth shut. 

The girl giggled, her smile never wavering. "I see," she held out a hand. "I have a lot of friends who wouldn't mind spending the night with a nice young man like you. Do you have payment?"

"Payment?"

Her smile died instantly. "We don't give our companionship for free, you know. No payment and you can spend your night alone." Spun on her heel the girl stalked into the night. 

Sokka's blush only grew. But there wasn't a pang of disappointment like he'd thought when he knew he'd inevitably screw things up. He didn't want her. 

Why?

Watching the retreating figure he realized, with a pang, exactly why. She looked like Suki.

Sokka cursed himself, wishing he'd asked to go back to Suki's island, or even better, to have stayed behind, or and the idea had his already hyperstrung nerves twanging, just asking her the first night he'd met her to spend his rut with him. 

He had to shake away the idea with brutal speed. 

"That's how you scare people away," Sokka muttered under his breath. 

Feeling the edge of his patience creeping slowly backward Sokka backed away from the tree. This was enough looking. He wasn't going to find anybody he didn't have to pay for. And along with not wanting to cut into their limited money supply he did not cherish the idea of trying to explain to his sister why anything was gone. 

With every step back toward camp he could feel his mind starting to slip, ice melting on the heat of his own burning desire. 

Fear sparked up his spine. He'd never gone into a rut outside of his home. Never had he been away from the mountains of blankets and furs all shoved away into his tiny igloo. 

"Think," he ordered himself, taking each step carefully, knees shaking with each wavering inch. "Keep your head on straight."

But he could only think of his rut. Without the cold he was so used to, he could feel fire dancing in his veins. He'd never quite thought of the definition of lust before, but if it was anything it was this. He could hardly walk. There were ants underneath his skin, racing through his veins leaving his skin so sensitive the brush of his clothes and the breeze felt like physical blows. 

"Fine," he muttered softly. "If that's all you can think about then think about schoolwork."

Forcing his mind to turn he fished up his classroom. He and his sister, sitting in front of their gran. 

Her wrinkled face almost stopped his entire rut dead in its tracks. Almost.

The aging, strong tone she'd always used while teaching echoed around in his skull. 

"Heats and ruts are very different from each other. You may experience one you have presented."

Katara's tiny hand had shot straight into the air. "Gran-Gran, what are the differences?"

His grandmother had tottered on the edge of an explanation. Not only was she extremely old fashioned about the entire affair, the idea of sharing details with ten year olds was something no one ever looked forward to. 

"With either experience your emotions will spike, beyond your control. You will answer only to your body's wishes, and your mind will feel distant."

The words began to pulse between Sokka's ears. He knew he couldn't be more than a few minutes walk from his camp but the desire pooling in his gut demanded he stop, that he cater to everything his body demanded. 

"The differences between a rut and a heat are as follows." his Grans voice was actually echoing in his skull now, bouncing off the walls of his skull. "Where a rut will increase your anger and energy, focused entirely on your, your mate," she'd stumbled over the words. "A heat will relax you, leave you near subservient."

Sokka winced at her poor description. Even in the few weeks since leaving the small water tribe he knew there was so much more to it. The conversations he was able to have with people only expanded the world wider to him. 

Crossing his arms firmly over his chest he struggled to shake away the buzz in his ears. He could hardly hear. 

Eyes half lidded he tried to find the source. Why did he feel like this? Never in his life had he felt so intensely aware of his own body, the world outside him faded to a dull roar. 

Then he collided with something. 

Stumbling back Sokka squinted into the blackness. Wind wiped away the leaves above him and Sokka found his blockade. It wasn't a tree, wasn't an animal. It was a person. They'd leapt back upon collision. Watching the outline of a person scrambling away Sokka couldn't help his shout. 

"Wait!"

Clutching a tree, face hidden by branches, thier clothing nothing more than a dark blob, the figure paused. It had to be a person. their breathing was too sharp, too heavy. 

"Sorry," Sokka tried to clear the bubble from his throat. 

Why couldn't he tear his eyes away from them? What was going on?

Drawn forward he fought every screaming instinct, arms crossed tightly to keep from reaching for the figure. 

"It, um, are you lost?"

No answer. 

Needing to be closer Sokka took the smallest steps he could manage. 

This person wasn't a child, too tall. As more moonlight landed on them Sokka could see a black outfit, a thin uniform with gloves. It outlined their figure artfully, a tapered waist and strong arms. 

Sokka's heart skipped several beats. His fingernails dug into his arms, forcing his hands down. All he wanted to do was reach out, draw closer to this mystery figure. Was this what ruts were like? He had to warn this person, get them away from him. 

"Look, you should probably get back to the town," Sokka flushed, not entirely from embarrassment. "I, I'm in rut. You should probably get away from me. I've never had one outside my house. I don't know exactly how to, I mean I don't know what I'm doing- I don't know what to do." Why was he pouring his heart out to this silent stranger? Why was he so drawn to them?

There was a soft rustling. The person had shifted. Were they running, gearing up to attack. 

No, not possible. If they were here to hurt they would have done it, wouldn't they?

They stepped closer and Sokka could see, it was not only the leaves hiding thier identity. This person wore a mask, a blue swirling, designs underneath a wild, demonic smile. 

The shock wasn't enough to drive him away. 

Head tilted Sokka stared in awe. "Are you a spirit?"

Stood stalk straight, arms pinned to their sides they shook their head. 

The move was oddly jerky, joints locked in thier position. Sokka found himself acutely aware of every inch they moved, every twitch of darkly gloved fingers. 

"Who are you?" his voice cracked. 

The figure shook their head once more.

Hand out to Sokka this new person, this blue spirit, laid a gloved hand atop his. 

"You really shouldn't," Sokka wavered. "You should probably let go." Just the touch, separated by a single layer of fabric, was driving him mad. He didn't want them to go, to let go. The words he forced out of his mouth were a new kind of torture. 

They only shook thier head again. Stepping closer they took Sokka's hand, fingers winding close. 

Head tilted, shoulders rising and falling rapidly they seemed to be watching Sokka's every move with rapt attention. 

What was going on? Why was Sokka so unable to tear his eyes away? 

Slowly they began to remove their glove, taking Sokka's other hand. This blue spirit's hand was pale as a ghost, compared to the black fabric. Suntanned knuckles, cracked fingertips. These were hands that worked. Perhaps a metal worker? Sokka found he didn't care, only drunk in every detail. What really caught him, was how warm those gentle touches were. This stranger's hands were boiling hot, warmer than a fever. 

"You're in heat," Sokka breathed.

They only nodded, a quick motion.

"I, I don't have any money to spend the night with you."

A shake. 

"You don't want to be paid?"

Another shake. 

"But you do want to spend the night with me?"

An emphatic nod. 

The relief washing over Sokka was heavier than any wave, crashing against the shore. He'd found someone, someone who needed company just as much as he did, perhaps more, knowing heats.

He wanted this person closer, to pull their lips to his. 

No, he couldn't kiss a stranger, especially a stranger in a mask. He didn't know how old they were. This could be a creepy old man. 

But really, deep down, he knew they couldn't. There weren't enough years on those hands, young hands, with no wrinkles or lines, the muscles still straining, the knuckles still tight over jagged bones. This stranger was young, maybe his age, though he didn't dare ask. 

The blue spirit's hand-wound through his, holding for dear life. Each brush of their skin was a lightning bolt. Two people, both primed, both ready. It was what instinct and bodies demanded at every turn. 

They needed each other. 

Sokka could feel inhibitions fading, embarrassment at the very back corner of his mind. "I've never done this before," he admitted fearfully. "I don't think I'll be very good."

Their shoulders shook lightly. A laugh.  _ I don't mind _ they seemed to be whispering. Soundless as ever they had a hand on Sokka's spine, pulling him close. They were the same height. Still, the blue spirit dropped his forehead against Sokka's shoulder. 

The relief let out through a soft sigh, their muscles easing against Sokka was enough to key up every instinct in him.

Sokka pulled the blue spirit closer, every alpha instinct needing, nay,  _ demanding _ he make somewhere safe for this stranger. He only wanted to help them, make them feel protected. 

He wanted them, so badly. 

Sokka struggled to keep his head. "We should get out of the open," he whispered, lips inches from what had to be their ear. 

Pulling away with visible effort the spirit pulled him into the woods. 

"Where are we-"

The figure lifted a finger to their lips. 

A slave to this new person's will, Sokka shut up instantly. 

Drawn into the thick foliage, squinting as the canopy grew thicker together, tighter knit. If he'd had any wits about him Sokka would have been terrified of a trap. But he'd lost much of his mind to raw human instinct. He trusted this complete stranger to his core. An omega in heat, not a pre heat, but a full heat, couldn't hurt him. they would be feeling everything, the same drive as he would, right?

Sokka stumbled over his own realization. 

How did he know this knew person was so deep in their heat? Not only physical temperature. It was more. It was something he knew in his blood, something he could smell in the sharp sting of their sweat, hear in thier ragged breathing. 

More questions to ask. 

If they would even answer. 

Sokka didn't know if they could speak. 

He needed to ask things before his mind became too muddled by his body's desperate call. 

Fingers still wound tight, they pulled Sokka to the edge of a willow tree. It was massive, branches so long they swirled in leafy coils on the hard packed earth. The breeze, working hard to break through the foliage, swayed the branches until they resemble waves more than leaves.

Swaying to the heartbeat rhythm of that wind Sokka pulled closer, taking their wrist. 

The soft whisper set off fireworks inside Sokka's chest. That  _ noise _ . He needed to hear it again. 

"How long have you been in heat?" he asked. It wasn't the first one he'd wanted to ask. But they were coming out of order, the threads of logic being pulled from the tapestry of his mind, leaving bare bones. 

They lifted and dropped a shoulder. Lifting a hand they held out four fingers. 

"Four hours?"

A shake of their head. 

"Four days?"

A nod.

Alpha instincts reared their ugly head. Sokka needed to wrap them up, tuck them somewhere safe and warm. "Are you hurt?" the words were deeper than he'd meant them. Never had Sokka considered himself good at flirting but with fire running through each vein, words were tumbling out without reaching his mind first. 

The silent laugh was enough to release a fraction of hoarded tension.

"You're okay?" Sokka lifted a hand, underneath their chin, cradling their head in his palm. 

Leaning into the touch the spirit made that soft keening whimper again. 

The sound pierced Sokka's gut. He pulled them closer again. 

This stranger melted against him, letting themselves be held, shaking with the relief of touch. 

"You're going to be okay," Sokka promised, fierce and protective. "I'll stay as long as you need." Not a promise he knew he could kee, but one he  _ had _ to. 

With an effort too massive for Sokka the stranger pulled away.

It was Sokka's turn for involuntary cries. 

They tugged him along and into the curtain of the willow tree. There, underneath the heavy branches, settled against the trunk and between thick roots was a mass of blankets and large leaves. They had clearly been trying to build somewhere to sleep, to wait out thier heat. 

Fingers never separated Sokka lead them back to the small bundle settled between roots. "Come here," he comforted, holding out his arms. 

Thoughtlessly they fell into his hold, curled as tight as they could. The skin underneath the thin black fabric was damp, sweating and boiling and  _ needing _ . 

Hidden underneath a curtain of swaying branches, the silver moonlight their only light, Sokka cradled his,  _ his,  _ omega. 

"Better?"

The nod, dug into his chest. 

Gently Sokka reached for the strap of the mask only to have his hand slapped away. 

With a monumental effort they scrambled back, chest heaving, shaking their head wildly. 

"What is it? What's wrong?" Sokka yelped. 

They dropped thier face in their hands, positively trembling. 

"Oh," Sokka burned. "I, I won't take off the mask if you don't want me to."

The relief flooding their shoulders was immediate. 

"But-" Hesitating, Sokka despised how much pain his words caused and almost stopped. But, he had to say it. He had to. "But I want to be closer."

He was trying too hard to keep himself stayed, to keep from ripping off every scrap of fabric between him and-

"What's your name?"

Silence. They sunk in his arms, their pale fingers twisting in his shirt. 

Sokka traced soft patterns across their spine. This closeness was driving him to distraction. It was taking constant effort to keep himself civil and aware. 

Finally they shook their head. 

"Can you… can you speak?" Sokka swallowed hard. The idea of anything harming thier omega was a physical blow. 

Another soft shake. 

"I'm sorry."

Curled close to his chest they brushed a hand over his chin. No need for an apology, they put across, without ever making a sound. 

"Is that why you won't let me see you?"

This time they nodded. 

"Oh," Sokka breathed. 

And then he had lost control. His body took charge, shoving his mind to the back seat. His veins strained against the dark skin. He was need personified. It had come on so quickly. Touch was the only sense left to him. Every brush of his shirt was torture. So it was removed. 

In one fluid movement he had the spirit on their back, his hand around their wrists, holding them against the tree trunk. He knelt over them, sitting on the sharp curve of their hips. 

Blood roared in his ears, a thump of a heart that was not his own, the thrum belonging only to a wild animal.

The keening deep in their chest hitched, Sokka could feel the sound liek a wave. "If I can't know your name can I call you Blue?"

Blue laughed, that same ripple through their shoulders, and nodded. 

"I, I'd really like to kiss you, Blue."

They froze, breath caught. 

"I'll cover my eyes," Sokka bent over. "I won't look."

Hesitation was clear in every taut muscle. 

"I can use this," Sokka held out his own cloth belt. A wide strap of fabric. "You can even tie it."

Sitting up carefully Blue took the fabric, the brush of their fingers setting lighting every synapse. 

Now struggling to sit still Sokka closed his eyes, letting the band be tied around them. It was thrilling in a way. There was no seeing. The world had gone utterly black. But he didn't need his eyes. His other senses kicked into overdrive. 

Letting his hands wander again he led Blue to remove their own shirt, picking at the hem and pulling it over their head. 

Sokka felt for every curve of the muscle under the boiling skin. 

Blue whimpered, held tight to his hand, breathing picking up speed. 

"You're okay," Sokka comforted. He liked being in charge, he liked being able to literally and figuratively top this utter stranger, having them like a puppet underneath his fingertips. 

They squirmed below him, boiling up. 

Heat wasn't any kind of exaggeration. 

Sokka traced thier chest, fingers brushing over the taut muscles of their stomach and arms. A guy. The realization was little more than a hiccup in his plans. Nothing would change how responsible, how compelled,  _ forced _ Sokka was to comfort him. 

"Relax," Sokka pleaded. "You're okay."

The words were an order. 

Falling limp underneath Blue still clung to his arm. 

Sokka cradled their chin against and this time when they reached for the tie around thier head the stranger did not fight the touch. 

The mask fell away. Unable to keep away Sokka rubbed a thumb over their chin, feeling soft skin. 

Blue caught his hand. 

"Can I ask you something?"

Frozen in terror Blue didn't move. 

"I want to… can I kiss you?"

A nod.

The first touch was a gentle one. Sokka let his chin be caught between those moonlight pale hands guide his face downward. Thier lips caught. Warmth. It was Sokka's first thought. The lips against his were rough, dehydrated. 

His breath was hot, rippling across his skin. Sokka couldn't help smiling. He liked this. 

Sokka's first kiss, he realized. Worth waiting for, even if he couldn't see his face. 

Squeezing his eyes tighter shut, Sokka kissed him again. This wasn't gentle. Blue caught Sokka's lip between his teeth. 

His gasp was sharp, kissing across Blue's jaw, an arm curling underneath his back. He pulled him closer, kissing harder. Fire was sparking. He could almost feel flames across his skin. 

Surging up against him Blue dug his fingers into Sokka's spine. His breath turned sharp. 

Need was everything. 

Instinct demanded so much  _ more _ . 

Forcing himself away Sokka scrambled back, only supported by his elbows. 

"I, I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with," Sokka shook his head. "I didn't want a, that is to say, I wasn't looking for someone to sleep with. I just wanted a friend, someone to hold onto. We don't have to have sex." Something tight gripped his chest. "That's not to say I don't want to. I really want to. But only if you-"

A finger pressed itself against his lips. Those rough knuckled fingers brushed down his chin and neck, tracing whisper-soft patterns against his chest. 

They finally stopped, caught on Sokka's belt. 

"You want to?"

Blue placed Sokka's hand on his chin, only to feel yet another emphatic nod. 

"Okay."

Hand on his chest Sokka pushed Blue down, kissing at his neck. 

"I've never done this before."

There was no answer. He wished he could have one. But the heat underneath his fingertips was enough. He could feel how much he was wanted. No one had wanted him as much as Blue did. It was like he could sense it. They didn't need words. they only needed their nook, tucked away in the forest, melting against each other. 

**Author's Note:**

> I've been on an Atla kick. I might continue this idea. Tell me what you'd like to see for this if you'd like to see more. 
> 
> Let me know what you think. I love to reply to all comments!


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